Watchmen set pics go live

Zack Snyder shows off his back lot...

Usually on a movie the size of Watchmen, the production is closely guarded secret, with sets held under wraps and armed guards ready to shoot photographers on site.

Fortunately (unless you’re so spoiler phobic you don’t want to see anything until the movie opens in cinemas) Zack Snyder is taking a different approach as he continues work on the Alan Moore adaptation.

While the set itself is hidden from sight at an undisclosed location in Vancouver (on the site of a former lumber yard), the official website has just posted some very enticing pictures of the New York back lot built specially, which will feature prominently. Rorschach’s (Jackie Earle Haley) scummy, red light district neighbourhood and the news stand have both been recreated with loving detail and the street will also include exterior sets for Dan Dreiberg’s (Patrick Wilson) brownstone home and famous Watchmen landmarks such as Gunga Diner.

Snyder also rattles off some facts on his blog – such as the streets requiring more than 5,000 feet of custom-made posters and 20,000 doughnuts (well, the crew’s got to eat something…) It’ll certainly put paid to the rumours that everything would be shot against green screen.

Picture fans and number-lovers should head on over to the site for more here.